Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 20

विभूतिविस्तरप्रश्नः / Inquiry into the Expansion of Śiva’s Vibhūti

Devanagari script

दिव्याः पाशुपताः सर्वे परिवृत्योपतस्थिरे । ततो गुरुनियोगाद्वै कृष्णः परमशक्तिमान्

Transliteration

divyāḥ pāśupatāḥ sarve parivṛtyopatasthire | tato guruniyogādvai kṛṣṇaḥ paramaśaktimān

Translation

Tous les dévots divins de Pāśupata, rassemblés autour, se tinrent en service révérencieux. Alors, selon l’injonction du Guru, Kṛṣṇa—doué d’une puissance suprême—se mit à agir.

Word by Word

• divyāḥ: divine
• divyāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: divya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; qualifies 'pāśupatāḥ'

• pāśupatāḥ: Pāśupatas (followers/attendants of Paśupati)
• pāśupatāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāśupata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• sarve: all
• sarve: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; qualifies 'pāśupatāḥ'

• parivṛtya: having surrounded
• parivṛtya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: parivṛtya (कृदन्त; √vṛt वृत्त् with pari-, absolutive/ल्यप्)
• Form: Absolutive (ल्यप्), 'having surrounded/encircled'

• upatasthire: stood near, attended
• upatasthire: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √sthā (स्था) with upa-
• Form: Liṭ (लिट्) perfect, 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन); middle voice (आत्मनेपद)

• tataḥ: then, thereafter
• tataḥ: Kāla/Apādāna (काल/अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Ablatival adverb (तसिल्-अर्थे): 'then/from that'

• guru-niyogāt: from the guru’s instruction
• guru-niyogāt: Hetu/Apādāna (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guru (प्रातिपदिक) + niyoga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular; तत्पुरुष (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष): guroḥ niyogāt = from the guru's command

• vai: indeed
• vai: Sambandha/Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (निपात)

• kṛṣṇaḥ: Kṛṣṇa
• kṛṣṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛṣṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• parama-śaktimān: supremely powerful
• parama-śaktimān: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक) + śaktimat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; कर्मधारय: paramaḥ śaktimān = supremely powerful; qualifies 'kṛṣṇaḥ'

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages at Naimisharanya, within the Vāyavīyasaṃhitā discourse)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Krishna
• Pashupata (followers of Shiva)
• Guru

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in the Shiva Purana?

It highlights the Shaiva principle that true spiritual power is aligned with śāstra and Guru-niyoga: the Pāśupata devotees attend in humility, and even a mighty being acts in obedience to the Guru, reflecting discipline on the path from pashu (bound soul) toward Pati (Śiva).

How does this verse relate to the worship of the Linga or Saguna Shiva?

The verse foregrounds the Pāśupata community—devotees of Paśupati—whose worship is typically Saguna-oriented (service, attendance, ritual discipline). Their reverent ‘standing near’ mirrors upāsanā: approaching Śiva (often through the Liṅga) with regulated devotion under proper guidance.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The key takeaway is Guru-anushāsana (following the Guru’s instruction) as a practice itself—supporting regulated Shaiva sādhanā such as daily Liṅga-pūjā, japa of the Panchākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), and wearing/using Rudrākṣa and Bhasma only as prescribed by authentic tradition.